Split ends occur when the protective outer layer of hair cuticle wears away because of external stressors like heat styling, salon chemical services. There is no true way to remove split ends, aside from cutting your hair, but you can take care of your hair and prevent their return. The ideal way to maintain the shine and texture of the hair would be to take preventive measures.

Tips For Preventing Split Ends

Use a wide-tooth comb: After you apply conditioner in the shower, slowly run a wide-tooth comb through hair until all the tangles are out. This prevents the snaps and breakage you can incur when you try to brush out hair that is roughed up from a towel-dry. If you have thicker hair you may need to use a pick or wide-toothed comb. Combs in general are more gentle than your common brush. Your brush or comb should aid you in untangling your hair, not pulling it out. Teasing or back combing your hair is a strict no-no. It is the most dangerous type of brushing, as it pulls up the scales of your hair, thereby breaking it off. Be gentle and kind to your locks and they would stand out automatically. Never rip off your hair while it is entangled. While it is best to brush your hair after they have dried, curly hair is an exception and should be combed while still wet. Always brush your hair when it is dry. Brushing wet hair will not only lead to hair loss, but also remove the cuticle from the strands. Using a soft-bristled brush, comb you hair down from the crown to the tip of your strands, in a gently manner.

Mind your heat tools: Inexpensive tools tend to dangerously overheat over time and burn ends into splits. If you are using a dryer or hot tongs regularly, your hair will start to show some damage--the hot air removes moisture from your hair. Using too hot a setting or holding the dryer too close to your hair will also cause damage. Time to steer clear of blow drying, hair straighteners, curling irons, perms, hot curlers and any other treatments that expose the hair to excessive heat. Heat absorbs all the natural moisture in the hair, leaving it dry, and resulting in breakage and split ends. If you do use them, then treat them well with hot oil hair massage to make up for the loss.

Protect your hair before swimming in a pool, ocean, or lake:Rinsing your hair thoroughly before swimming will also help it absorb less chemicals. Be sure to rinse and shampoo your hair as soon as possible after swimming. Wearing a tight swim cap would also be beneficial.

Take folic acid and biotin:Nutrients build the proteins that make up your hair strands. Two B vitamins in particular, folic acid and biotin, have been shown to supplement hair health, length and thickness. Folic acid helps the production of red blood cells, which powers the growth of hair. Foods rich in folic acid include green leafy veggies, oranges, soybeans and wheat. Biotin strengthens both hair and nails through its metabolism of fats, carbs and proteins. Brown rice, lentils, peas, sunflower seeds, walnuts and soybeans are all rich in biotin.

Limit damaging services: Treatments like hair color, highlights, straightening and perms all cause trauma that can result in a bevy of split ends. Try to limit service to just one major hair concern, and refrain from washing strands for at least 48 hours afterward, when they're most porous and likely to break and split. Don't rely on products that claim to "heal" split ends. They can seal the split end to help it look healthier, but they aren't reversing the damage. These products can however help prevent future damage to otherwise healthy hair.

Get regular hair cuts:All hair gets damaged after a while. Get a trim of at least 1/4 to 1 inches on a regular basis. It will remove split ends and keep your hair healthy and growing strong. The longer you wait to trim, the greater chance you have of split ends worsening and traveling up the shaft.

Prevent them from dust and sun:You must always be extra careful about your hair while travelling in a dusty or hot environment. Ultraviolet rays can be damaging to your hair. While moving out in the sun, wear a hat or a scarf. For those with long locks, making a bun and then wearing a hat would be an ideal option to explore. You can also look for conditioners containing sunscreen or mix sunscreen and conditioner together and leave that in your hair.